CP&DR

Water, Money Troubles Strike Fast-Growing 'Pass' Region

Mar 28, 2008

Local Watch, Paul Shigley, Riverside County, Vol. 23 No. 04 Apr 2008

The Interstate10 corridor southeast of San Bernardino has served as a relief valve for Los Angeles metropolitan growth during recent years. But the recent real esate slowdown has hit the Beaumont-Calimesa-Yucaipa area hard, partly because of developer bankruptcies and other financial troubles, and partly because of questions about water.

Park Districts Take Land Sale Ruling To State Supreme Court

Mar 21, 2008

Legal Digest, Parks and open space, Paul Shigley, Riverside County, Vol. 23 No. 04 Apr 2008

The California Supreme Court has accepted a case of considerable importance to regional park and open space districts. The court will review a decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal, which ruled that the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District could not sell about 80 acres to a community college district without voter approval.

Park districts say the Fourth District ruling, if upheld, would require districts to conduct elections not only for the sale of land, but also for routine matters such as land transfers and boundary adjustments. One upshot would be a reluctance to acquire new parkland, the districts warn.

Regional Planning Bill Remains A Priority

Mar 3, 2008

Featured Articles, Legislation, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

Although the state's mounting budget deficit is expected to predominate in Sacramento for many months, 2008 could be a blockbuster year for land use legislation. Scores of bills related to planning, the California Environmental Quality Act, redevelopment, housing, the Subdivision Map Act, and other land use matters have been introduced during the first two months of the year or remain leftover from 2007.

CEQA Meets Climate Change In Air Regulators' White Paper

Feb 29, 2008

California, California Environmental Quality Act, Environment Watch, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

A key document in the evolving methodology for evaluating development's impact on climate change has been released by the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association.

Called "CEQA & Climate Change – Evaluating and Addressing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Projects Subject to the California Environmental Quality Act," the white paper is lengthy (more than 140 pages), detailed and highly technical.

With Old Town In Fine Shape, Monrovia Looks To Transit Future

Feb 28, 2008

Downtown planning, Los Angeles County, Paul Shigley, Redevelopment Watch, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

Although redevelopment often seems like a never-ending process, redevelopment of Old Town Monrovia is nearly complete. The city is now switching its focus to redevelopment of an 80-acre area about one mile south of Old Town and studying how to tie together the two areas.

February Election Update: Stanislaus County Approves Growth-Control Initiative

Feb 27, 2008

California, Elections, Initiatives and referendums, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 03 Mar 2008

Stanislaus County voters became the first in the Central Valley to approve a county-wide growth-control initiative when they backed a ballot measure that prohibits the rezoning of agricultural land for residential uses without voter approval.

While voters in what had been growth-friendly Stanislaus County endorsed growth control, voters in Santa Clara and Rocklin backed specific housing projects. Meanwhile, voters in San Clemente overturned the city's approval of a condominium project. Also on Super Tuesday, voters in the western Riverside County community of Wildomar supported incorporation, but voters in the Sierra foothills community of Oakhurst rejected formation of a new city.

Fast Growing Stockton Faces Many Issues, Many Lawsuits

Jan 31, 2008

Downtown planning, Local Watch, Paul Shigley, San Joaquin County, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

A slew of land use issues are converging on Stockton, an older Central Valley city that is simultaneously struggling to revitalize its downtown and deal with a political environment that is both pro-growth and environmentally conscious.

Eminent Domain Acquisitions Grow More Expensive

Jan 30, 2008

California, Eminent domain, Legal Digest, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 02 Feb 2008

Court have issued four recent court decisions regarding eminent domain that suggest that acquiring property through eminent domain is an increasingly costly prospect for the government. None of the four decisions addressed whether the government had the right to take the property in question. Rather, the cases dealt with procedure and valuation.

2008 Could be the Year Everything Changes: State Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target Land-Use Policy

Dec 29, 2007

California Environmental Quality Act, Featured Articles, Paul Shigley, Vol. 23 No. 01 Jan 2008

If California is truly going to reduce — in a meaningful way — its emission of the gases that contribute to global climate change, the state must change how it uses land.
That is the inescapable conclusion of virtually everyone who has analyzed the situation. But nearly every detail regarding how, when and who decides remains extremely uncertain at the start of 2008.

No More Nasty Ol' Portables - Schools Adopt New Standards

Dec 28, 2007

California, Paul Shigley, Public Development, School and university planning, Vol. 23 No. 01 Jan 2008

State bond money and local tax dollars are flowing into new school construction at record rates, and school officials are learning that a "green" campus is both better for students and teachers and is less expensive to operate.